If you’re looking for quick and delicious vegetable dishes to add to your cooking repertoire, I’ve got you covered.

This week is all about easy, jazzed up vegetable dishes that you can make on a weeknight when you’re in a rush, or prepare on a weekend when you have company because these are company-worthy.

I’ll start with my Horseradish Kissed Asparagus. I am a huge fan of asparagus and we cook it several nights a week. I usually grill it and never tire of it, but if you do, then here’s a simple way to jazz it up: I simply bake it (or you can grill it) and drizzle it in horseradish sauce and then top it with French’s Fried Onions.

The horseradish pairs well with the tender asparagus, and the fried onions add a nice little crunch.

When it comes to selecting asparagus, thinner is better. Avoid huge stalks because those are tough. When you get home from the store, cut the ends off the asparagus and then place the stalks in a glass of water in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.

Juliana Goodwin(Photo: Submitted photo)

The asparagus would be a great side dish for steak or grilled chicken or lamb.

My favorite recipe this week is my Carrot Salad with Pickled Ginger Dressing. It’s crazy easy and takes less than 5 minutes to prepare. I bought a bag of shredded carrots for the salad, whisked together a dressing made with olive oil, honey, rice wine vinegar and pickled sushi ginger (the pink stuff), and then tossed it all together. I garnished it with a generous amount of cilantro before serving. The sushi ginger is so flavorful it just bursts in the salad. The honey and cilantro are a nice balance to the carrots.

This salad dressing is excellent on cucumbers, too, so I recommend doubling the dressing and saving the other half for the following evening. Drizzle it over a sliced English cucumber. It would also be nice over thinly sliced cabbage for an Asian inspired slaw. The dressing is so simple and delicious, I think you will love it.

And finally for potato lovers, I crafted a comforting smashed potato dish with less fat than mashed potatoes. Also I keep the skins on because there is more nutrition in the skins. My Smashed Quick Durkee Potatoes only has a few ingredients: a bag of microwave potatoes; Durkee Famous Sandwich & Salad Sauce; salt and pepper. I microwave the potatoes, smash them, and then add this amazing sauce and salt and pepper. If you’ve never tried this Durkee sauce, it is mayonnaise based and reminds me slightly of deviled egg. I don’t think my generation uses that much Durkee sauce because every time I make something with it, people ask me what it is but they love it. I grew up with it and continue to use it today.

The potatoes and asparagus would pair well together as side dishes; the salad would be better with fish, chicken or something Asian-inspired.

With these simple recipes, there is no reason not to eat your vegetables this week. I hope you enjoy the dishes.

Horseradish Kissed Asparagus are garnished with French’s Fried Onions and are so yummy, you will love eating your vegetables. Pair this with a steak or lamb or grilled chicken.(Photo: Juliana Goodwin)

Horseradish Kissed Asparagus

Serves 4

1 pound asparagus

1 heaping tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2-3 tablespoons Woeber’s Horseradish Sauce

½ cup French’s Fried Onions

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the bottoms off the asparagus — usually a half and inch to an inch. Lay the asparagus on a glass pan and drizzle the vegetables with olive oil. Roll the asparagus around so it is coated more evenly in oil. Sprinkle salt on top.

Bake 8 minutes for crisp asparagus, 10 minutes for medium-crisp, and up to 14 for tender asparagus.

When done, transfer to a plate and drizzle with horseradish sauce. Top with French’s fried onions and serve.

This Carrot Salad with Pickled Ginger Dressing takes only 5 minutes to prepare and is bursting with flavor. The sweet dressing is great on cucumbers or cabbage, too.(Photo: Juliana Goodwin)

Place carrots in a bowl. Remove some ginger from the jar and finely mince it until you have a tablespoon.

In a cup, whisk together olive oil, honey, vinegar, and ginger until dressing thickens. Pour the dressing over the carrots and toss to coat.

Allow the salad to rest for 10 minutes before serving so the carrots soak up some of the flavor. Garnish with lots of fresh cilantro and serve.

This salad dressing is excellent on cucumbers too, so I often double it and save the other half for the following evening. I recommend it served on a sliced English cucumber.

Forget mashed potatoes and try these easier and healthier Smashed Quick Durkee Potatoes. From start to finish, it takes about 12 minutes and you don’t have to peel any potatoes.(Photo: Juliana Goodwin)

Smashed Quick Durkee Potatoes

Serves 3-4

1 pound microwave in a bag gold potatoes

½ cup Durkee Famous Sandwich & Salad Sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatoes according to microwave directions. When the potatoes are done, allow them to rest in the bag for 3 minutes. Then slice the bag open and place the potatoes in a bowl. Immediately add salt and the Durkee sauce and use a potato masher to smash the potatoes to desired consistency. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Juliana Goodwin is author of “Rotisserie Chicken Queen: 50 Fabulous Recipes That Start With Rotisserie Chicken.” If you have a question concerning a recipe, email her at julianalovesfood23@gmail.com.